The Effect of Water Deficit on some Physiological Properties of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench cv. "Sultani"

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the some physiological changes after the artificial drought stress in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench cv."Sultani") which is widely cultivated in Turkey and well adapted to Trakya region. After germination, the seedlings were grown under normal growing conditions in an unheated plastic greenhouse until they reached to 2-4 leaf. They were planted in the field with a distance of 50 cm between rows and 25 cm in rows. The plants normally irrigated until flowering time. After then, water constraint applied for drought stress. Control plants were irrigated to bring to field capacity, when they lost 50% of usable water capacity in root region. Other plots were irrigated to 0%, 25% and 50% of applied water in control parcel. Water restriction was done once a week and then measurements were made. During the experiment, leaf water potential (-MPa), leaf relative water content (%), membrane damage in leaf cells (%) and total chlorophyll (SPAD value) in leaves were determined. As results, it has been determined that as the amount of water restriction goes from control to 0%, the leaf water potential decreases and the plants grown at 0% water constraint show severe damage symptoms. It has also been found that the amount of leaf-relative water content and the total amount of chlorophyll are reduced in a manner contrary to the increase in drought stress. Contrary to other criteria, membrane damage and leaf temperatures increase in leaf cells due to the increase in the amount of water restriction.